The present invention generally relates to tactical gear retention systems, such as used for holding firearm magazines, ordnance, weapons, and other tactical equipment.
There is an ongoing need to provide tactical gear retention systems that securely hold various equipment in a secure, yet readily accessible, manner. Moreover, there are ongoing needs for such systems to be reconfigurable to adapt to various operational requirements and personal preferences.
Current military and law enforcement units are required to wear tactical vest that accommodate a variety of mission essential equipment. Most of these extra pieces of equipment are typically carried by pouches worn by the individual. These pouches, plus the hard and soft armor pieces are attached to the upper torso of an individual via a soft material sewn in such a fashion that it carries these pieces. These are typically referred to as a load bearing vest or tactical vest. In an attempt to meet the demands of carrying a variety of tactical equipment, manufacturers must make tactical vest designs that have a modular attachment system and in doing so this adds unnecessary material and bulk to the tactical vest.
The materials sewn are also not resistant to the absorption of liquids and chemicals. Once these materials become impregnated with a liquid that is harmful, they are considered useless and disposed of promptly. If the same tactical nylon material is immersed in water, it absorbs a substantial amount of water and takes on that unnecessary weight until it can be dried out.
As the demand increases to decrease the overall weight of this equipment and provide resistance to liquids and chemicals, the need exist to provide military and law enforcement units with a streamlined system to carry equipment and, in particular, AR-15 and other style magazines, ordnance and equipment.
AR-15, and other firearm, magazines are typically carried via pouches that may be sewn in such a way that they form a snug fit around the magazines' body. The material most commonly used to sew theses pouches is a woven nylon. A sewn tactical vest may accommodate these sewn pouches and/or have one large pouch on the front side of the vest which is referred to as the kangaroo pouch. This kangaroo pouch is approximately wide enough to receive three AR-15 magazines laid side by side in a vertical orientation. Although it is wide enough to hold 3 magazines, it is usually loosely fitted and therefore provides little to no retention. This is yet one example demonstrating the ongoing need to provide improved magazine retention, stability and speed of access in a light weight design for the kangaroo pouch.
The present subject matter overcomes at least some aspects of the historical challenges in this area by providing novel configurations related to, for example, tactical gear retention systems using skeletonized equipment holders that quickly and securely attach to standardized mounting platforms, such as chest carriers, belt mounts, leg mounts, plates, etc.